


Let's Take Your Measurements!

by squalamander



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: (kind of!), Crack, M/M, other characters to appear later!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23559937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squalamander/pseuds/squalamander
Summary: A tailor and aristocrat AU! The wealthy nobleman Ghetsis's usual tailor just so happens to have died, and the nearest one to his estate charges a ludicrous amount for his services. Nevermind that, anything to save his precious, torn-up cloak! And his new tailor seems to have charm to match his skill...
Relationships: Achroma | Colress/G-Cis Harmonia | Ghetsis Harmonia
Kudos: 22





	1. More Than he Seams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A disgruntled aristocrat and a talented tailor bond over banter and overpriced services.

Colress idly stitched at the fabrics. Imagine not being able to mend one’s own clothes… hee hee. Ah, aristocrats and peasants alike! He could overcharge all he wanted for simple needlework and string. The bell from the door rang; oh, another victim to fraud!

“Hello!” Colress put on his sweetest smile. “What can I help you with?”

His victim-to-be didn’t return his smile. In fact, he seemed the opposite of amused. Colress’s curiousity was stricken. Someone didn’t fall instantly to his feign of innocence?

“Your prices are disgusting. This is robbery!” the man grumbled.

Colress let out a bewildered scoff, and his smile changed to his genuine, lopsided grin. “Could I at least get your name?”

“Hmph. It’s Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius. I’m sure you know of me.”

“Ah, yes, the last aristocrat on my hitlist. I implore you, buy my services so I can revel in the fact that I’ve frauded all of the rich.”

“Ha. You admit that so casually?” Ghetsis met Colress’s expression with a smirk of his own. “I could always take my business elsewhere. It’s a shame too. I’m certainly the wealthiest.”

“Oh, you could, but will you? I may charge a criminal amount, but my skills are unmatched. Not like you can sew, anyway.”

Ghetsis was taken aback by the tailor’s candidness--charmed even! “Very well, then.” He placed a mangled cloak onto Colress’s table. The fabric was besmirched with dust and dirt, one tear almost bisecting the poor thing and other rips patterning the faded black disaster.

“Listen,” Colress reasoned. “Listen, I know I charge a lot, but this time it’s a logical amount.”

“Yeah,” Ghetsis didn’t even snap back. Oh, the memory! The indignity of fate! His cloak, trampled and torn by his own carriage. And just so the universe could perform its own slapstick, it sent a dog to give it some extra rips. Ah, Ghetsis was traumatized and embarrassed! “I’d have my personal tailor mend it, but he had to go and die.”

“Oh, how embarrassing. Luckily for you, we’re about the same age. Provided you buy my services now, I think I’ll be very useful in the future. I'm very good at not dying,” he grinned.

“Fine. My wealth can withstand your robbery. One last thing, what shall I call you?”

“Colress Achroma. Pleasure to embezzle you.” He extended his hand with a cold smirk but playful warmth in his eyes. Ghetsis returned the gesture and expression. Their greeting seemed more like a villainous business deal, which, well...

“Myaha! It’s hardly anything compared to my riches.”

“I admire your attrition. I’ll get to work.”

Ghetsis left without a cape to dramatically swish. Colress stared at him as he left… aristocrats never behaved like that! How charming…

He tossed his current project to the side. “Not important!” And immediately got to work inspecting the cloak that was as equally fascinating as the man who owned it.

* * *

The next day, his favorite customer came back. He still had that scowl on his face, but this time a smile accompanied it once his eyes met Colress.

“Back so soon? Have you another forsaken monstrosity to have me fix?”

“Myaha… you should be so lucky…” Ghetsis wandered around, quite obviously looking for his chil--I mean cloak. Colress took notice.

“Hee hee… I’ve got a surprise in store for you. There’s not a chance in the world I’m going to let you see it.”

“How do I know you’re not plotting against me?”

“Well, for one, it’s just a cloak.” Ghetsis fought the urge to yell ‘NO IT ISN’T!’ but maturely kept his mouth shut. “Hmm… Ghetsis, if you’re going to stick around, you may as well make yourself useful.”

“Myah? How dare you!” Someone spoke to him, a man of power and influence, with such directness. It had him charmed! “What do you need, Colress?”

“Hee hee… I know you aristocrats aren’t suited for exerting any effort. Just stay here and keep me company.”

“Hah. Are you trying to employ reverse psychology?”

“A little.” He gestured toward the rolls of fabric on the wall. “Hand me a blue one.”

“Colress, there’s several blues.”

“It’s your lucky day. Pick one.”

True to his nature, Ghetsis picked one with a gold trim. Oh, how interesting, an eye pattern. Colress inspected Ghetsis’s choice.

“Hmm.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hee hee… I think that it’s an interesting choice.”

Ghetsis seated himself on the couch, watching Colress work.

“I can keep you company for a while, if you’d like. Today I have absolutely nothing planned. I’ll torment you as long as I want.”

“Good. It’ll be convenient for me to have someone fetching fabric all day.”

Colress smiled. Luckily he was facing away from Ghetsis; he could feel the blush on his face a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploading stuff from my old drafts! Updates for this will come more quickly as I've got content that I've already made and can copy and paste it here while I work on newer chapters :] !!  
> Hopefully I'll be able to churn out some more serious works at some point, but for now, have some of my goofy fic!


	2. A Wager, Then!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a good round of gossip, Ghetsis proposes a wager to his new companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double posting! Despite the word count, I feel like this chapter's a little too short to stand on its own, so I'm posting this along with its next chapter.

Ghetsis and Colress shared the same interest in fraud. Hee hee, it amused Colress to no end how similar their tastes were. Ah, the high literature too. And even though he’d heard the life of an aristocrat from other customers, the way Ghetsis regaled him with anecdotes and stories just had him charmed. It eased the repetitive nature of Colress’s occupation. In a verbal exchange of tales, they talked down on the other aristocrats; Ghetsis with his gossip from the high life and Colress with his revelations of what they needed mended or made. And somehow they got to hobbies.

“But I have to say, my favorite thing is to host events.”

“Oh? I’ve never been to one.”

“That’s quite a shame. You’d definitely be the most interesting person there,” Ghetsis boasted as he looked around at examples of Colress’s handiwork. “Myahaha… I’ll tell you what.”

“I’d like to go to a party of yours but I’d rather not sell my soul to the devil for it,” retorted Colress, who recognized a conniving tone.

“Myahaha! Not so much as a sale but more of a wager.”

“I’m listening.” More than listening! He was captivated, enchanted!

“You’ll receive an invitation to my gala in a month. My only condition… whatever you wear must leave me stunned!”

“That’s it? I thought you had something challenging for me.”

“Mya ha, we’ll see about that. I'll even finance your outfit.” 

“How kind of you,” teased Colress. He glanced at the time. “Hee hee, as much as I enjoy your company, I’m going to need you to leave.”

Did he really spend the entire day with Colress? Myahaha! “And if I don’t?”

“I’ll call the police on you,” Colress replied with a smirk.

“I can always pay them off,” retorted Ghetsis. “I’ve done it before. 

“Fine then! Here’s the real reason…” 

“Myaha, I knew you had secrets.”

“Hush!” Colress felt embarrassment rising up but attempted to ignore it. “I want you to leave so I can finish fixing your cloak.”

“Why so secretive, then? I can see plenty of your unfinished handiwork here,” Ghetsis reasoned, tugging teasingly at the fabric on Colress’s desk.

“I’m performing some experiments on it, hee hee hee.” Colress’s gaze softened into a playful expression. “I can guarantee that you’ll enjoy them.” 

“Oh, but why can’t I watch my good doctor provide the necessary surgery for my cloak?”

Doctor? Why did that tease make Colress’s heart flutter…?

“Out! I’m calling the police.”

“Mya ha ha… keep your secrets. And don’t forget to work on your own outfit.”

With the jingle of a bell and the opening and closing of a door, Ghetsis took his leave. Colress mused at the memory of their interaction. Looking down, he realized how much he had accomplished today. Hee hee…. It really does help to have someone ease the boredom; especially an aristocrat that was finally witty and captivating. With that thought, he opened the door to the back room. There, draped against the wall, Ghetsis’s cloak resided. Hm… gold trim and eye motif, that’s one of the fabrics that Ghetsis chose. Colress glanced at Ghetsis’s later choices of fabrics and then at his project. How interesting. Hee hee! Time to get to work...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this and a couple more chapters, I'll have to actually start writing things... these are just drafts from late December/Janurary!


	3. Awake... but at What Cost?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghetsis and Colress undergo some changes in their morning habits. Ghetsis needs to find a better way to pass the time than unconsciously pining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Myo for editing help, and by that I mean saying that Ghetsis's things weren't bougie enough, haha!

Ghetsis’s eyes fluttered open, already squeezed into a pensive scowl. Hm.. Colress’s boutique opens at ten. Would it be awkward to arrive immediately upon opening time? Ghetsis rolled around on the bed, coiling himself in the silken sheets as he considered his options. With a drowsy, grumpy “myah” Ghetsis glanced at the time on his gold-plated wall clock, its silver hour hand pointing to a diamond-crusted six. Six… that would mean he was to wait four hours until seeing Colress. Preposterous! Oh, and even then that issue of showing up directly upon opening time presented itself. Gah! Ghetsis lay himself on his back, arms crossed as he glared into the ceiling. Ten minutes! He’d wait ten minutes and then show up, circumventing that awkwardness entirely. How genius of him. 

With a stretch somehow both disheveled and elegant, Ghetsis initiated his movement out of the bed. He smoothed out his black satin nightgown and opened a drawer to pick out his eyepiece for the day. Black or white… which one? Black, he decided. This one was made from black sapphire and ruby, custom made and delivered yesterday. Myahaha… very fashionable. Now for today’s outfit, Ghetsis thought as he entered his walk-in closet. Did he want to risk tearing another dear cloak? Ghetsis gently traced his hand across the array of cloaks. He regarded the edge of one, and seconds later the flashbulb memory arrived. In a moment of klutziness that almost seemed dictated by fate, his cloak slipped out of his hand. His mind relieved that terror of his poor, dear cloak, marred between hooves and wheels, besmirched by the ground. How awful! Shuddering, Ghetsis shied away from his cloaks. 

Okay okay, Ghetsis moved on to something less traumatizing. Shirts, what shirt shall he wear today? With a routine motion, he picked up his prosthetic, which hung next to the door. Unconsciously, the thought of Colress slipped into his mind and he gravitated to a light blue dress shirt. Well! Okay. He picked out a gray suit coat and pants to match. Gloves? Of course! He slipped on a pair of his finest silky whites. Admiring his ensemble, Ghetsis went to marvel at himself in the mirror before oh my god his hair looked awful. Disheveled… he had even rolled over one of his prongs in his sleep and flattened it. Two prongs remained, albeit not in much better condition. Everything else looked fine, but his hair… Ghetsis immediately sought after his hair brush. Where… was his hairbrush? Franticness did not yet take him over yet, but he hastily plowed through his closet in search of it. Was it in the bathroom? On his nightstand? Ghetsis’s hair matched his increasing panic, becoming much more untidy as he racked his brain and mussed his hair as he did so. He slammed the nightstand drawer shut before a glimmer caught his eye. There! Under the bed…

“You…” Ghetsis boomed, pointing at said glint. He picked up his golden hairbrush and returned to the mirror to tame his hair. Tie, ponytail, and finally he was presentable. Now what time was it… 7:23… He still had so much time. How disgusting. Well, what could he do in the meantime. Eat breakfast? Read a book? Write poetry? There were so many options but god Ghetsis wanted to do none of those.

Dramatically, he opened the curtains, although he hissed when the light hit his face and his eyes adjusted to it. He scanned the outside, his garden, the town, the sky, the clouds. Could the passage of time go faster? Oh! The perfect activity to pass the time. 

Ghetsis started pacing around his room.

His mind started to wander, eventually settling in on his upcoming gala. Of course, he’d have to finish his plans for it; he could do that to pass the time. More importantly, however, he was incredibly curious as to what Colress would wear. The tailor seemed to favor lighter colors, gray and blue predominantly. Ghetsis recalled some of the suits on display. Perhaps something like that. Although, Colress did have some air of secrets and surprise about him. Ghetsis pondered what else was up his sleeve…

After a long session of pacing, Ghetsis flopped back on the bed, still thinking about the gala but more about Colress. That tailor was definitely an interesting man, and especially charismatic. His face had hints of apathy and little emotion, mouth occasionally curling into a meaningless smile to goad potential customers into wasting their money, or forming a tiny, triangular shape to fake shock. Ghetsis did realize, however, that Colress’s eyes did all the expressing for him. When he was amused his eyes had a playful glow about them, and Ghetsis noted that sinister ambition whenever Colress talked about his cloak and when they talked about the gala. But of course, Colress’s face wasn’t all expressionless. Ghetsis recalled fondly how the tailor’s face could scrunch up into a devious, excited grin. And he had to admit, watching Colress work had its own appeal. Colress boasted an unmatched dexterity and speed, and Ghetsis would never admit how alluring it was to watch him sew. He glanced at the time. 

Almost! God! Almost… Ghetsis walked out of his room and into his study. With little thought, he began making a to-do list for his gala; what to buy, hmm… what would Colress like in a gala? Wait! He’d never been to one before. With this realization, motivation suddenly hit Ghetsis. Now his to-do list became incredibly detailed; this gala would be spectacular. Myahaha! Colress will be quite impressed.

Time… Oh! 10:13; he could leave! Ghetsis pocketed his notebook and pencil, standing up ready to go--before sitting right back down again as shyness bubbled up inside him. Would Colress get any ideas if he showed up so eagerly? Ghetsis wasn’t being desperate, right? No, Colress was simply a good conversation partner, and Ghetsis enjoyed talking to him! It eased the monotony that could sometimes manifest. As he grumbled to himself, he impatiently tapped at his desk.

“No! I’ll swallow my pride,” he finally declared to the table. With that, he hastily made his way to his carriage.

* * *

Ever since opening time, Colress anticipated Ghetsis. Well, I mean, his cloak was finished, that was it! And… he had a nice time talking with Ghetsis yesterday, he hoped Ghetsis would stick around today as well. 10:15… was that really how little time had passed? Colress was so bored! He ignored the work he was supposed to be doing and dramatically stretched on his desk. Where was Ghetsis? Surely the aristocrat knew when his store opened. Colress sighed, apathetically glancing at his projects. He stared out the window for a longer time than he’d like to admit before he saw a welcome sight: three pointy green prongs. 

“How unkind of you!” Colress remarked, as soon as Ghetsis walked in. 

“What?” Ghetsis was taken aback by Colress’s brazen statement.

Colress thought about chastising him for how long he kept him waiting, but common sense censored his longing.

“Hee hee!” Ghetsis noticed Colress’s expression soften into a playful one. “I’ve finished your cloak, would you like to see?”

Ghetsis smirked, “Looks like I made the right choice coming here without a cloak.”

“Follow me,” Colress beamed.

More giddy than need be, Colress led Ghetsis to the back room. “Right there,” he motioned, pointing to a cloak draped on the mannequin. 

Was that his cloak…? It looked astounding! Resurrected from its disheveled state, by almost sorcery! Colress grinned, quickly taking it off the mannequin and draping it on Ghetsis’s shoulders.

“Impressive, right? Feel free to admire my handiwork in the mirror,” mischievousness mixed in with Colress’s excited tone. 

Ghetsis truly was impressed! He couldn’t even come up with a verbal jab.

“I… admit this is quite a transformation from its prior state,” he twirled elegantly in the mirror. “...You added the eye motif! And gold trim…”

“I found out your style from the fabrics you chose the other day.”

“You’re quite a perceptive person, Colress.”

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based the hairbrush thing on something that happened to me with my tablet pen..


End file.
